Telegraph-key



(No Model.)

A. OAKES,

TELEGRAPH KEY. No. 373,152. Patented Nov. 15, 1.887.

wvwmooeo N. PETERS, Pholo'lilhognpher. Walhinglmi. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

ALONZO OAKES, OF TAYLOR, WISCONSIN.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

SPIECIPIfZiA'lION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,152, dated November 15, 1887.

Application filed January 4, 188% Serial No. 223,382. (No model.)

.To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo OAKES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taylor, in the county of Jackson and State of Wiscousin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telegraph-Keys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in telegraphkeys,- and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices,that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a telegraph-key embodying my improvements, the pivotal screws of the levers being shown in transverse section. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of my improved telegraph key. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinalsectional view of the same, taken on line a: 00 of Fig.2. Fig. 4. is a detail transverse sectional view taken on line 1 y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the button, taken on line zz of Fig. 2.

A represents the base of the key, which is made of wood or other suitable non-conducting material, and is preferably in the form shown in Fig. 2. On the upper side of the base A is secured a plate, B, which corresponds with the base A in size and shape, and is attached thereto by means of screws 0.

D represents vertical standards or lugs, which project from the front end of the plate B at opposite sides thereof, and E represents similar vertical standards or lugs, which pro- 3 5 ject from the rear end of the plate at opposite sides thereof. The said plate and lugs are formed integrally, and are made. of brass or other suitable conducting material.

At the rear end of the plate B,a-t the center thereof, is made a rectangular opening, F, the sides of which convergeupwardly, and in the said opening is inserted a stop, G, which is made of vulcanized rubber or other suitable non-conducting material, and is wedge-shaped in section, as shown at Fig. 3, and thereby adapted to fit snugly in the opening F.

H represents a leg-bolt which passes vertically through an opening, I, made near the rear end of the plate B, and through a similar opening which is made in the base A. The said leg-bolt is provided at its upper end with a head, which is countersunk in the openter is pivoted between the lugs.

ing I, and the lower end of the bolt is provided with screw-threads, as shown.

K represents aleg-bolt which passes through an opening, L, made in the plate B, near the front end thereof and midway between the lugs D. The upper end of the bolt K is enlarged to form a vertically-projecting head, M, which forms the frustum of a cone. From the center of the head projects a vertical platinum contact-point, N.

The opening L in the plate B is considerably larger than the diameter of the head of the bolt K, so that the latter will not be in contact with the sides of the said opening, and unto form the frustum of a cone, the diameter of 7*- the upper end of which corresponds to the diameter of the base of the head M, as shown. The lower end of the bolt K is also screwthreaded. Y

1? represents thumb-nuts, which are screwed into the threaded ends of the bolt-s, and are adapted to clamp the key to a table or desk top in the usual manner.

It represents the main key-lever, which is preferably made of polished spring-steel, and has its central portion enlarged and widened, as at R, to form shoulders to approach the opposing sides of the lug D. In the front end of the lever It is an opening, R for the purpose to be hereinafter explained. The extreme rear end of the lever It is adapted to come in contact with the stop G, and the front end of the lever projects for a considerable distance beyond the front end of the base of the key.

S represents the usual pivotal screws, which extend through openings made in the lugs D, and have their pointed ends'stepped in recesses that are made at the outer ends of the shoulders R of the lever, and thereby the lat- Clampingnuts S are provided for the screws S, to prevent the latter from working loose in the threaded openings of the lugs G.

' T represents a secondary lever, which has its rear-end pivoted between the lugs E by means of pivotal screws U, which are similar in construction to the screws S. A set-screw, V, extends vertically through an opening made in the extreme rear end of the secondary lever, and the lower end of the said setescrew bears upon the rear end of the lever It. From the under side of the front end of the secondary lever depends a platinum contact-point, \V, which aligns with the point N, and is directly over the same, and is adapted thereby to come in contact therewith when the front end of the lever R is depressed.

X represents a coiled tension-spring, the lower end of which is seated in an opening in the upper side of the plate B. The upper portion of the said tensionspring extends upwardly through the opening R in the lever B and out of contact with the same, and an adjusting-screw, Y, extends through a threaded opening which is made in the secondary lever, near the center of the same, and has its lower end bearing upon the upper end of the tension-spring. The secondary lever is also made preferably of polished spring-steel.

The play of the levers may be regulated by means of the screw G, and the tension of the spring X may be regulated by turning the screw Y. An advantage gained by this con struction of the main lever and the secondary lever combined therewith is that the susceptibility of the main lever to very close adjust ment reduces the pounding or jarring action of the main lever to the minimum, thus making it very easy on the wrist of the operator, and rendering it pleasant to use.

Z represents the button, which is provided on its lower side with a transverse depending tongue, a.

The front end of the main lever is provided on its upper side with a transverse groove, 1), adapted to receive the tongue (4, and a screw, 0, extends upwardly through a threaded opening in the front end of the main lever and enters the lower side of the button, thereby securing the latter firmly to the main lever. The tongue and groove .prevent the button from turning on the main lever. This button is made of vulcanized rubber or other nonconductingmaterial, and has its upper side concave. Insteadofmakingthebuttonround, as has been heretofore the practice, I make the button widest at its front end and narrow the same at the rear end, and round all the corners, as shown in Fig. 2. This enables the button to be more readily grasped by the fingers of the operator than the form of button now in common use, and in a great measure prevents the unpleasant cramping of the fingers which is attendant upon the use of the ordinary telegraphic key.

Areprcsents the circuit-closing lever, which is made of brass and has its rear end pivoted to the plate 13 by means of aserew, B. The front end of the circuit-closer is curved upwardly, so as to raise the same nearly to a level with the upper side of the main lever,

-thereby close the circuit.

and from one side of the front end of the circuit-closer projects an arm, A the outer end of which is curved or inclined upwardly, and is thereby adapted to engage and slide upon the upper side of the main lever when the circuit-closer is moved toward the same. This depresses the main lever and causes the latter, through the screw V, to depress the front end of the secondary lever, so as to cause the contact-points N and W to come together and The lever A is provided with the usual button, A which is made of rubber or other non-conducting material.

It will be observed that when the lever A is closed upon the main lever that the contactpoints N and NV come together and remain in this position all the while that the circuit is closed, thereby effectually preventing dust and particles of dirt from settling between the contact-points in the event that the key is unused for a length of time.

The stop G at the rear end of the plate B, and against which the rear end of the main lever strikes, being made of vulcanized rubber, is non-resonant, as well as a non-conductor of electricity, and thus avoids making any sound when the front end of the main lever is raised, thus preventing the key from making any sound at the upstroke of the lever.

The operation of my telegraphic key will be understood from the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I clai1n the main pivoted lever, the secondary lever pivoted above the same, and having the sounding contact-point at one end, and the adjusting-screw V, extending through the opposite end of the secondary lever and connecting the same with the main lever, substantially as described.

the main lever, the secondary lever pivoted above the same, and having the sounding contact-point, the screw V, connecting the secondary lever with the main lever, and the tension-spring X, bearing under the secondary lever, substantially as described.

the main pivoted lever, the secondary lever pivoted above the same, and having the sound ing contact-point at one end,'the adjustingscrew extending through the secondary lever and connecting the same with the main lever, and the circuit-closing lever A, having the upwardlyinclined arm A at its free end, adapted to bear upon the main lever and depress the same, and thereby close the contactpoints, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the base having the vertical lugs D and E near opposite ends, the main key-lever It, fulcrumed between the lugs D, and having the opening R, the non-resonant contact-point G under the free end of the lever B, the secondary lever T, fulcrumed bel. In a telegraph-key, the combination of 2. The combination, in a telegraph-key, of

3. In a telegraph-key, the combination of tween thelugs E, and having the contact-point In testimony that I claim the foregoing as IO W at one end, the adj usting-screw V, extendmy own I have hereto affixed my signature in ing through the opposite end of the secondary presence of two witnesses. lever and bearing on the free end of the main 4 5 lever, the spring X, to raise the lever T, and ALONZO OAKES.

the contact-point N, projecting upward from the base into the opening R of the main lever Witnesses: and in vertical line with the point W, sub- ARTHUR R. ELLIsoN, stantially as described. E. A. ANDERSON. 

